The present invention is directed to a simple pneumatic coupler for use on agricultural seeding machines.
Agricultural seeding machines use air pressure to meter and transport seed and agricultural chemicals. Pneumatic seed meters on row crop planters fall into two basic systems. In one system positive air pressure, that is air pressure which is greater than ambient air pressure, is used to meter the seeds. In the other system negative air pressure, that is air pressure that is less than ambient air pressure, is used to meter the seeds. An air pump is used to create the positive or negative air pressure. The air pump may be pneumatically coupled to an air pressure manifold. The air pressure manifold in turn is pneumatically coupled to the individual seed meters by an air hose. It is known to seal the main transverse support beam or toolbar to form the air pressure manifold. On one agricultural seeding machine currently on the market, the pneumatic fittings are metal and are welded to the toolbar.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pneumatic coupler for an agricultural seeding machine that can be readily assembled and installed on a seeding machine.
The pneumatic coupler of the present invention comprises a hollow cylindrical tube having an inner portion and an outer portion that are divided from one another by a radially extending flange. The radially extending flange has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface adjoining the inner portion of the hollow tube and the outer surface adjoining the outer portion of the hollow tube. A donut-shaped compressible and resilient gasket adjoins the inner surface of the radially extending flange. The inner portion of the tube is provided with radially extending catches that extend from axially extending resilient tongues formed in the inner portion. The hollow tube and radially extending flange are an integral nylon part.
The pneumatic coupler is mounted to an air pressure manifold on an agricultural seeding machine. The air pressure manifold has a hollow interior defined by an interior surface and an exterior defined by an exterior surface. Apertures are formed in the manifold to receive the pneumatic couplers. The inner portion of the hollow tube is inserted into a respective aperture so that the radially extending catches engage the adjoining interior surface of the manifold. The gasket is compressed between the inner surface of the radially extending flange and the exterior surface of the manifold. The gasket forming an air seal between the gasket and the exterior surface of the manifold and the gasket and the inner surface of the radially extending flange.
An air pump is pneumatically coupled to the air pressure manifold for maintaining a selected air pressure condition in the manifold. Individual air hoses extend from the outer portion of the hollow tubes to the individual seed meters.
In the illustrated embodiment the air pressure manifold is formed by sealing off the ends of the main transverse support beam or toolbar.